Police send reinforcements to Marikana

2012-09-06 19:15

Johannesburg - Police sent reinforcements to the Wonderkop informal settlement in Marikana, North West, on Thursday.

"We reinforced our members on the ground so that we are ready for any eventuality, especially because of the high volumes of mine workers that marched yesterday [Wednesday]," police spokesperson Brigadier Thulani Ngubane said.

Ngubane said a group of "joyful" local residents had gone to a nearby hill to greet the 102 mineworkers released by the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

Worker representative Xolani Nzuza said they would go to the nearby Karee mine again on Monday to make sure their colleagues there had not returned to work.

On Wednesday, striking marchers carrying knobkerries, sticks, and iron rods pushed their way through police barricades as they walked more than 5km through Marikana to the Karee mine.

The strikers threatened to kill Lonmin management unless they stopped work at the K3 shaft, where most of the mine's operations took place.

While they walked, they sang and carried placards bearing pictures of their colleagues shot dead during a confrontation with police on 16 August.

Earlier on Thursday, the protesters gathered in a field opposite Lonmin's Marikana mine to discuss with their representatives the implications of refusing to sign a peace accord.

The number of miners gathered at Wonderkop dwindled as the weather worsened, leaving less than 200 huddled under umbrellas. The last pocket of protesters retreated to their homes by noon.

Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema's visit to the mine was postponed because of the rain. Malema had intended speaking to the miners at Wonderkop and welcoming the rest of the miners released.

Worker representative Zolisa Bodlwana said they were concerned about wage increase negotiations.

"A peace accord will not help us workers in any way. We are not party to that," he said.

Parties involved in the Marikana talks signed a peace accord in the early hours of Thursday morning. The accord levelled the ground for wage negotiations and included a commitment to create a peaceful work environment.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and Marikana workers' representatives did not sign it.

Lonmin on Thursday said the company and other unions had agreed to invite Amcu and workers' representatives to participate in wage talks.

Comments

SharonE - 2012-09-06 19:20

"Worker representative Xolani Nzuza said they would go to the nearby Karee mine again on Monday to make sure their colleagues there had not returned to work."
How can they openly intimidate co-workers into not going to work and get away with it?

elgh.elgh - 2012-09-06 19:49

I honestly don't think this is about the money anymore. There is more chance of julius getting pregnant than the miners getting R12500 a month all of a sudden.

andile.vabasa - 2012-09-06 20:16

I give up with these people, just shoot them all cause they are brain dead any way! How can they still threaten to kill, how bout they be killed!

bob.small.7547 - 2012-09-06 20:21

Workers in SA, in all industry strikes, have been intimidated by their striking colleagues for years...nothing new about this caper!

hermann.hanekom - 2012-09-06 20:40

The anarchists are simply denying one's right to work. The whole lot should be gunned down and left as hyena food. The surely know how to destroy instead of building.

oageng.lekete.7 - 2012-09-06 20:46

The problems you are having is that you fail to understand the nature of the game.
1.ANC is failing to make sure that the situation of the poor changes in terms of education, wages, settlement which are the major contribution of the high crime in our country.
2. COSATU and NUM, are collecting monthly contribution fees from these poor miners knowingly that they are being underpaid in the first place and now they are pretending that underpayment is in news in their ears. Actually they are an insurance and should pay for damages to the families of the deceased.
3. How come we still have informal settlement near work places? the mines including the ANC are to be blamed for this nyaganyaga. Why can't you ensure that your employees lives in a better settlement? surely the mine can afford to build affordable houses for its workers.

claudia.meads - 2012-09-06 21:36

controversy
I sometimes think 'not thinking further than your nose is long' is SA's national sport.
Why must the mine provide housing for its employees..? Do MTN build houses for its employees..? Do Microsoft build houses for its employees..? Do Old Mutual build houses for its employees..? NO THEY DO NOT - yet the three companies mentioned here were just voted SA's top employers.
Let these drillers continue and the mine will simply mechanise - then there will be no jobs.
If the government does not do its job do not vote for them - you cannot sit and mope- and blame the government if you keep voting for them - that is the way a child reasons. Act like an adult and vote for a government that is intelligent- and honest enough to give you and your children a future, not one that has a certain skin colour.

andre.vandeventer.16 - 2012-09-07 07:51

The fact is that these miners take-home pay (after deductions) is in excess of R7-R8000. A mine official disclosed that one miner took R16000 home just prior to the strike. It must be understood that the reason is political and has absolutely nothing to do with R12500 salary dispute!

BigChiefPlumbPudding - 2012-09-07 12:28

Not only that, they get escorted by the SAPS to go and deliver their intimidation message. What a bloody joke.

neco.horne - 2012-09-06 19:37

They are going to kill lonmin management if they do not stop work? Wtf! And people are judging the way the police acted when they killed the workers who atacked them. Violence begets violence.

martin.gardner.923 - 2012-09-06 19:54

Stuff like this makes the minority so much more GREATER than the majority, this will always be so.

tshepisogodfrey.motsumi - 2012-09-06 19:57

This is not a banana republic, people must respect the rule of law or face the music. This country cannot affort to be bullied or held at ransom by group of people who are not prepared to respect the rule of law.

henk.vanrensburg.31 - 2012-09-06 20:12

We are a banana republic!

denis.mhendi - 2012-09-06 20:41

Comrade firsly;workers they suppose to change their mind and stop listen everyone can give them bad influence.They don't want to follow the rules of law.And lack of respect been affected everything.They need convincing because R12,500 its too much.They should change their behaving.

thabo.france.1 - 2012-09-06 22:31

I think if we can control our anger,we can win always. Don't allow ur anger 2 put u in troubles

kgalalelo.malesele - 2012-09-06 20:15

I really think these guys do deserve the R12500 I mean toll gates are going up that means taxi fares are worsening and then everything thereafter, how do u expect someone to live on R4000 and worse digging some of the most expensive minerals. How do u explain CEO of PicknPay taking home millions and the person at the till taking home R2500. Where is the justice while the shareholder buys an animal for R18mil. They deserve the money not peace accord

crracker.crackerr - 2012-09-06 20:29

Become an employer then.
We depend for our material existence on them. Even the worst instigators of violence and the worst of backstabbers/evil labour leader fakes know it. They are playing the parties off against one another for self-interest.
Nobody stops you from leaving your work environment. Leave if you don't like it and go and create your own. In fact, become an employer. It may just open your eyes to reality.
Don't be a parasite.
Now look at how lovely the politicians and trade unionists are having it. Without creativity/originality/risk taking. They are true parasites living off the talents of the genuine entrepreneurs.
Definition of entrepreneur:
"Someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it."
Without the entrepreneur you would have absolutely NOTHING to take home.

deon.louw.7505 - 2012-09-07 11:05

If you don't like your job / money then resign. We don't need people in SA threatening others to stop working. The struggle is over.

osmaseko - 2012-09-06 20:31

why did they sideline Amcu and the worker representatives in the wage talks? Now when they see that those who look after their interest i.e Num and Solidarity cant get anywhere without them then they invite them? #SMH#

leaproach.thekeeper - 2012-09-06 20:52

Malema is such a lame assed puss. Rain is just water. You will not melt!

karl.vanrooyen - 2012-09-06 20:54

Send in some white rabbits !

oageng.lekete.7 - 2012-09-06 21:26

I suggest the pink ones, they always make sure.

brendon.nel.7 - 2012-09-06 21:18

What kind of man or so claimed fighter of the people won't even face a little rain for the people he is supposedly fighting for. What inspiration! what courage! A true hero for the people.

crracker.crackerr - 2012-09-06 21:47

We know he is a walker of note.
Recall how he travelled in a bakkie while those he instigated walked without water all the way? Was it from Joburg to Pta (Union Buildings)? Illustrates how important it was that one doesn't even quite recall all the details.
But he had a helluva time at a wedding just afterwards in his strange apparel. Who was he trying to impress at the wedding?

Morwammazwi Mphahlele - 2012-09-06 21:32

i am sick and tired of minority who fail to understand marikana situation,hence posting their racial comments...our fellow brothers r working hard and deserve more...mxm

BigChiefPlumbPudding - 2012-09-07 12:32

I'm sick and tired of the majority who don't understand how the world works.

ruan.lacock - 2012-09-07 00:30

...when local is no more lekka..please consider the following alternative....
EMPLOY FOREIGN WORKERS !!
...they want to do the job....AND THEY CAN WORK !!

lindela.e.mtshali - 2012-09-07 00:52

Dont complain when they rob and shoot you and cross the border back to Bulawayo until the trail goes cold! Keep thinking like that and keep creating unemployment for the locals and they will think you are fair game to be robbed with your double cab and they will sell it for next to nothing and shoot you and you leave your wife and your family!There are more than 3 million Zimbabewans here. There are just as many South Africans who can stand at the gate of the complex and make you sign the book when you come in. Or bring your steak and baked potatoe to your table. We don't need those foreigners here. They must go home and vote! Fix their country. YOu can't keep running from your problems. They chansed away their whiteys and now they come here and follow them! Lose the racist ideas people. We can't afford to stuff up this country. Otherwise you and Malema must emigrate to Mauritius! Racism is not cool and its so prevalent in many of the comments you get here! Get over yourselves! South Africa is a beautiful country! Being white or black is not special!

africa.tshipembe - 2012-09-07 03:08

"they chased away their whiteys" i guess you do not want them to steal your whiteys....will you people stop waiting for white people to create jobs for you and start your own companies.

arthur.salvado - 2012-09-07 08:04

Hey guys, be nice. The problem is not the mines. The mines DO create employment . The problem is that the government have failed the (poor) people in this country, so they will look at the mines to save them. The government steals the money and then shoots the people. Then they accuse those who were shot at of killing their co-workers. Are we for real in this country ? And yet, once more, one boerewors roll, one vote unless they sharing the boeries I which case One boerie equals many votes. What a joke !